Big FPS Game Franchises That Are Officially Done

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First-person shooter (FPS) games have consistently been a favorite among gamers for years. Several series have become incredibly successful, releasing one sequel after another. However, many FPS series haven’t lasted, either getting canceled, being superseded by newer games, or fading away over time.

A single bad game can sometimes end a popular series, stopping all future development. Other times, problems during the game’s creation – like disagreements among developers, poor leadership, or changes in ownership – can doom a beloved franchise, preventing it from ever reaching its full potential.

Killzone

A Forgotten PlayStation Classic

I always thought of Killzone as Sony’s answer to Halo – a really intense, cinematic shooter that was a big part of the PlayStation 2 and 3 years. Guerrilla Games really made a name for themselves with it, creating a dark, immersive world and some seriously satisfying gunfights. People kept loving it, even up to the release of Killzone: Shadow Fall on the PS4.

Despite earlier hopes, Guerrilla Games has officially ended the Killzone series. The studio has shifted its focus entirely to the Horizon franchise and even took down the official Killzone website in 2024, thanking fans but confirming the end of the Helghast conflict. While a return would be welcome, letting the series rest will protect its reputation as a standout first-person shooter from the 2000s.

TimeSplitters

The Hero Shooter From Before It Was Cool

The TimeSplitters series offered a fun and vibrant contrast to the serious military shooters popular in the early 2000s. Developed by Free Radical Design, it gained a large following due to its quick action, comedic style, and inventive campaign that let players travel through time. This unique approach helped TimeSplitters stand out and find its own place within the first-person shooter genre.

It was really disappointing to hear that the chances of a new TimeSplitters game officially ended in 2023. Free Radical, the studio working on the reboot, got shut down during a big wave of layoffs. They were making a new TimeSplitters, but after some changes within the company, the project was canceled and everyone working on it lost their jobs. Now, it doesn’t look like anyone else has the rights or is planning to pick it up, so it feels like that classic series might just stay in the past forever.

Resistance

Couldn’t Quite Survive The Apocalypse

The Resistance trilogy from Insomniac Games made a unique mark on the first-person shooter genre, immersing players in a dark, post-apocalyptic world overrun by terrifying alien creatures. The games tell the story of humanity’s fight against the Chimera, featuring intense, cinematic action and demonstrating the studio’s skill before they became famous for games like Marvel’s Spider-Man.

As a huge fan of the Resistance series, I was really disappointed when Resistance 4 never happened. Apparently, Sony wasn’t convinced it would do well, thinking there were already too many dark, post-apocalyptic shooter games coming out, especially with The Last of Us being made at the time. It’s sad to hear Insomniac has moved on to completely different games and doesn’t plan to ever return to the Resistance universe, which means we probably won’t see those terrifying aliens again. It feels like they’ve just been left behind.

Red Faction

Stuck In The 2000s

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Red Faction was a unique shooter because it let players destroy almost anything in the game world. Its special Geo-Mod Engine allowed for real-time destruction – you could blast through walls or completely demolish buildings – and each game in the series improved on this impressive feature.

Sadly, Fishlabs’ planned sequel was canceled during the big changes happening at Embracer Group in 2024. The company was cutting costs and closed several studios, and the Red Faction series was significantly impacted. Now, without a team working on it or any future plans, the series’ famous physics-based destruction is on hold for the foreseeable future.

Unreal Tournament

Cut Down By The Success Of Fortnite

At the start of the 2000s, Unreal Tournament was the leading competitive arena shooter. Its fast pace, accurate shooting, and futuristic levels set the standard for many games that followed and greatly influenced online multiplayer gaming. It was a key title for competitive players, both at local gaming events and in the early days of eSports, and played a major role in the development of some of today’s most popular first-person shooters.

Epic Games has since moved past Unreal Tournament, quietly cancelling the reboot and shutting down its servers in 2022. They’ve even allowed the Internet Archive to preserve the original Unreal games, signaling that the franchise is now part of gaming history. Though today’s players might not be familiar with it, Unreal‘s influence is clear, both in the Unreal Engine and in the many shooter games it inspired.

Team Fortress

Lead By The Community, Not The Devs

Team Fortress was incredibly popular and introduced the idea of class-based shooters to a wide audience. While the original game laid the groundwork, Team Fortress 2 really took off, combining hilarious moments with fun and well-designed gameplay that appealed to both newcomers and experienced players.

Honestly, it feels like Valve has pretty much forgotten about TF2 and any hope of a sequel. It’s been almost ten years since we’ve gotten a big update from them! These days, all the new content comes from the amazing community that still loves the game. Valve’s even said they barely have anyone working on it anymore. But even with all that, TF2 is still surprisingly popular, and you’d be surprised how many people still play TF Classic even though it’s kind of a forgotten piece of FPS history.

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2025-11-11 20:10